An appeal has gone to the two major tribes of Ijaw and Itsekiri that made up Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State to live in peace and unity for the purpose of development.
Ambassador (Apostle) Benjamin Kukuru (aka Ebis) made the appeal during a meeting with some Ijaw and Itsekiri youth leaders in Sapele, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.
He identified disunity, distrust and lack of one voice as the major reasons of underdevelopment in Warri North Local Government Area, saying that the situation is uncalled for.
According to Kukuru, the good people of Warri North Local Government Area have been experiencing untold hardship as a result of lack of development, describing the situation as unfortunate.
He affirmed that lack of unity made the area remain undeveloped as the Local Government lacks higher institution, bridges to link the Communities to other areas and other social amenities.
While saying that the creation of Warri North Local Government in 1991 was to ease administration and bring government closer to the people, he said the people of the locality could still leverage on the creation and speak with one voice to improve lives in the area.
He called on the Ijaw and Itsekiri people in Warri North to wake up, take the bull by the horns , speak with one voice and be their brothers keeper for the purpose of development, reminding them that divided they fall but united they stand.
He said ” Let us wake up, let us plan together, let us unite, we have lost a lot of opportunities but we can still reclaim our lost glory as soon as we change our mind set.”
Ambassador Kukuru noted that the most recent delineation exercise was an opportunity for both tribes to increase their wards and have two Assembly members in the state House of Assembly without headache.
He said when opportunities for growth and development emerge that fighting would resume, appealing to the people to turn a new leaf for the interest of peace and development.
“Warri North Local Government Area is contributing enormously to the Federal Government and yet we lack basic amenities, what legacy are we bequeathing to our children, is it that of enimity and distrust or that of the overall development of our region” he said.
Development in his opinion does not go to a place of rancour and disunity hence the people need to wake up and have a common forum to discuss on the way forward.
The Ijaw and Itsekiri according to him share a lot of things in common such as food, dressing, tribal marks, same names in some cases, same means of transportation because they are one, urging them to address their challenges and take a holistic step to ensure that Warri North move to a greater height.
